Flora of Paraíba, Brazil: Plumbaginaceae Juss.

ABSTRACT

Plumbaginaceae Juss. includes 27 genera and ca. 836 species with cosmopolitan distribution, but the center of diversity consists of the Mediterranean region and the central and western parts of Asia. In Brazil, it is represented by two genera, Limonium Mill. and Plumbago L., with one species each - Limonium brasiliense (Boiss.) Kuntze and Plumbago scandens L. - occurring mainly in the Amazon, Caatinga and Atlantic Forest domains. This work comprises the taxonomic treatment of Plumbaginaceae for Paraíba State, represented by the species P. scandens L., including comments on taxonomical affinities, illustrations of the diagnostic characters, data of flowering and fruiting, as well as information of its geographical distribution. From the results obtained, it was possible to understand the morphology and distribution of species from the Plumbaginaceae family in the territory of Paraíba, also contributing to the expansion of knowledge about the local flora.

Keywords:
Brazilian northeastern; Caryophyllales; diversity; Taxonomy